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Social Influence:Conformity & Obedience

Psy 240; Fall 2007Purdue University

Prof. Kipling Williams

Lecture9-F

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Flashmobs

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Classic Studies

• Autokinetic Effect• Sherif’s studies of

norm formation

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Classic Studies

• Asch’s studies ofgroup pressure

©William Vandivert

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Why Do We Conform?• Informational Influence

– “Social Proof” -- if others think/behave that way, they must be right.• Normative Influence

– The desire to “fit it,” or perhaps more important, to not beexcluded/rejected

• Mindlessness– A cognitive heuristic that allows us to do

what others are doing without taking upvaluable time and effort.

• Do “non-conformists” not conform?

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When Do People Conform?

• Group size• Unanimity• Cohesion• Status• Public response• No prior commitment

©PhotoFest

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Influences on Conformity

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Influences on Conformity

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Influences on Conformity

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A Not-So Classic Study• Social Inhibition (Petty, Williams,

Harkins, & Latané, 1977: “BystanderResponse to a Cheeseburger”

• How are Conformity and SocialInhibition Similar?

FreeCheeseb

urger

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Classic Studies• Milgram’s obedience experiments

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When Don’t People Conform

• Optimal distinctiveness (Brewer, 1991)– Feople seek affiliations with groups that

enable them to maintain an ideal balancebetween the desires to fit in and stand out.

– Feelings of belonging trigger attempts toindividuate oneself, feelings of uniquenesstrigger attempts to immerse oneself in thegroup.

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!!!

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When Don’t People Conform• When mate selection motives

are strong– Cialdini, 2006

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What Breeds Obedience?• Escalating Commitment• Emotional distance of the

victim• Closeness and legitimacy of

the authority• Institutional authority• The liberating effects of

group influence

© Stanley Milgram, 1965, From the film Obedience, distributed by the Pennsylvania State University

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Reflections on the ClassicStudies

• Behavior and attitudes• The power of the situation• The fundamental attribution error

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Social Impact TheoryLatané, 1980

Multiplication Division